Principal Public Health Practitioners

Catherine Perry

Principal Public Health Practitioner, leading on Tobacco related work

Catherine took up her current post in February 2024, following an 11 year period leading   the Healthy and Sustainable Pre School Scheme, and Healthy Schools Scheme in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Following a degree in Education and Psychology  from the University of Lancaster and a masters in Public Health from Cardiff University,  Catherine began her career in public health in South Wales.  Following a move to London and health improvement roles at Bromley Primary Care Trust, Catherine returned to Wales and has now been based at Cardiff and Vale Public Health Team for 12 years.  She is registered with the United Kingdom Public Health Register as a practitioner and is also an assessor for the Public Health Practitioner Registration Scheme for Wales.

Emma Davies-McIntosh

Principal Public Health Practitioner

Emma started with the team as Principal Public Health Practitioner in February 2025 leading on childhood immunisations and spatial planning.

Emma has worked in public services for over 20 years, including local public health teams, local authority and the voluntary sector. Since 2013 her work has focused on facilitating collaboration for early intervention, prevention and place-based working. She has managed social prescribing initiatives and developed partnerships to tackle some our most complex challenges, including mitigating the impacts of welfare reform.

She completed her MSc in Applied Public Health in 2024 and is a registered public health practitioner. She is passionate about understanding and tackling the wider, social determinants of health and reducing health inequalities.

Lauren Idowu

Principal Public Health Practitioner

Lauren has been a Principal Public Health Practitioner in the team since 2019, and leads on two topics: physical activity; and alcohol. She has over 20 years of experience working in a range of roles and topics in public health across both the NHS and local authority.

Lauren completed her first Master’s degree in Nutrition, Physical activity and Public Health at the University of Bristol, and a subsequent Master’s in Public Health at University of West England (UWE).

Lauren is passionate about many aspects of public health, in particular: whole system approach and how we create change; ensuring work is driven by the data and a clear understanding of what it is telling us; working to reduce inequalities by ensuring work is targeting those in greatest need; and shifting focus upstream to population level prevention. Lauren thrives on working collaboratively with a range of partners, from local to national.  

Rebecca Lewis

Role: Principal Public Health Practitioner

Roles held: Public Health Team link with Primary Care. Public Health representative at Cardiff City and South, Cardiff East and  Cardiff South East clusters.

Rebecca joined the team in August 2024 and focusses on supporting the public health agenda across Primary Care, specifically supporting cluster working and social prescribing.  She also supports the Suicide and Self-Harm Prevention agenda and Communications work.  

Rebecca has worked in Public Health for 20 years in various roles and between teams across South East Wales as well as spending some time working in Oxfordshire, with previous portfolios of work including: alcohol licensing, sexual health, health protection, oral health, with a particular passion for tobacco control and working to reduce smoking prevalence.  During this time, she has completed her Masters in Public Health at Cardiff University.

Rebecca Stewart

Principal Public Health Practitioner

Rebecca joined Cardiff and Vale Public Health Team in November 2020 as a Principal Public Health Practitioner.  Rebecca’s role is currently focused on our local whole system approach to healthy weight.

Rebecca has worked in the NHS in Wales for more than 20 years in a variety of roles and across other public health teams focusing on,  community health development, healthy schools, food, nutrition and healthy weight.

Rebecca completed her Master’s in Public Health and Health Promotion from Swansea University in 2012 and  also has BSc. (Hons) in Applied Human Nutrition as well as a PGCE (PCET).

Rhianon Urquhart

Rhianon is a Principal Public Health Practitioner , leading on Early Years, Healthy Schools and food partnerships

Rhianon has an undergraduate degree in applied Psychology from Cardiff University and completed her Master’s in Health Promotion at Swansea University in 2005.

Rhianon has almost 30 years of experience in health promotion / public health, having begun her career with Heartbeat Wales and Health Promotion Wales and has also worked in Caerphilly County Borough Council leading their Health Improvement Team , prior to joining the team in January 2015 and has focussed on Food Vale, Healthy Schools and Preschools and the healthy eating standards within the UHB.